Saunterer gives up her secrets – Part 1 – the joint between the hull and the ballast keel
Date: 29th June, 2015Saunterer is undergoing major surgery on her keel.
We have found that the horizontal gap between the keel and keelson (now about quarter to half an inch deep along its whole length) was splined many years ago – probably in the 1970s at McGruers. However, Saunterer was later out of the water in a shed for about 12 years until 2007 – and we think completely dried out in this time. We also think her wood keel (made of English elm) never went back to its original size when she returned to the water, leaving a bigger gap than is desirable between it and the lead ballast keel. This gap was then filled (but not resplined) prior to 2009. There is no evidence of failed keel bolts causing this gap to appear. This all becomes obvious once the splines are fully taken out, which we have done, revealing the large gap noted above.
We are still working all this out from the evidence – but at the very least it seems to confirm the keel has not dropped away from the hull, but rather the hull has shrunk – why, because the keel bolts and butterfly braces are all at their original length and positions. So the gap has opened up without movement of the metal bolts and reinforcements.
Also we can now see that the work we are now doing is a really important long term restoration – which will put the keel back hard on the hull and eliminate the stress on the bolts. And it allows detailed inspection of her wooden keel, her frames and hull construction. Fascinating.
Today we have turned one nut on one keel bolt (there are 12 – all in bronze, of which 10 fasten the ballast keel to the hull) and the nut moved freely, and after heating the tar round the head of the keel bolt it dropped out as if it had been put in yesterday. We think this has not been done in her 115 year history. We are learning a great deal about Saunterer and the secrets of her original construction.
If an interested party reading this can offer additional information, it will be gratefully received. More updates to follow.”
The Project Team – 29 June 2015
